India's rapidly growing gaming community may soon get the structured platform it has long lacked. The idea, according to Gautam Badalia, is to create a breakthrough moment for esports similar to what Neeraj Chopra did for athletics in India. That vision led Badalia to join forces with former professional gamer Santanu Basu to launch the Indian Super Gaming League (ISGL), India's first franchise-based national esports competition.
The two founders come from very different backgrounds. Badalia, the former CEO of Route Mobile Limited, is a finance professional with more than two decades of experience in investment banking, capital markets and corporate growth. Basu, meanwhile, has spent years in the gaming world, representing India at international esports tournaments.
Their sporting interests are vastly different as well. Badalia enjoys chess, while Basu is a passionate football fan. Yet the duo are driven by a common goal — to make India strong in global esports ecosystem.
Also Read | Squash: Indian Open Returns To Mumbai As Ramit Tandon Seeks Redemption In PSA Copper Event
“We want to create something similar to what the Indian Premier League did for cricket,” Badalia told NDTV Profit on the sidelines of ISGL's regional qualifiers in Mumbai. “Before IPL, there were already many cricket tournaments in India. But IPL revolutionised the sport by bringing structure, scale and credibility. That is what we are trying to build for esports.”
A Franchise Model for Gaming
ISGL will feature eight teams competing across five esports titles. To attract younger audiences, the league has partnered with several football clubs from the Indian Super League (ISL), including Mumbai City FC, FC Goa, Chennaiyin FC, Kerala Blasters FC and Inter Kashi. Other franchises joining the competition include Puneri Paltan from the Pro Kabaddi League, along with Bangalore Bhargavas and Andhra Agneyas.
Players will compete in as Chess, EA Sports FC 26, Call of Duty: Mobile, FAU-G, and Cricket 26. The competition will begin with qualifiers across several cities before culminating in a grand finale in Vaizag in June.
The Missing Structure in Indian esports
India along with China and US is one of the the world's biggest gaming markets. The country boasts of over 500 million gamers. Despite being such a huge market for esports and a producer of gamers India lacks the professional ecosystem seen in global esports markets.
“The biggest challenge for Indian gamers is the absence of a structured league,” Badalia said. “Because of that, esports is often seen as casual gaming rather than a professional career.”
Internationally, however, the industry has grown into a massive spectator sport.
Badalia pointed to a tournament in China for the popular game Honor of Kings. “The stadium capacity was around 91,000, and more than 60,000 tickets were sold within seconds. That shows the scale of esports globally,” he added.
India, he believes, still needs to develop world-class arenas and structured competitions that can nurture talent and host international events.
Changing Parental Perceptions
One of the biggest cultural barriers to esports in India remains parental scepticism.
Badalia noted that global recognition of esports is steadily increasing, with the discipline now featured at events like the Asian Games.
“Gaming today is a skill-based activity. It requires strategy, reflexes and decision-making,” he said. “In the future, these skills could even have applications in areas like drone technology and defence.”
Basu believes the key lies in balance rather than restriction.
“Parents should allow children to play for a limited time, maybe two hours a day, but with focus,” he said. “Professional gamers don't play endlessly. When I competed abroad, practice sessions were structured and high quality.”
Basu himself balanced academics with gaming. He secured a rank of 9182 in the Joint Entrance Examination and later completed a B.Tech in Information Technology, driven by a desire to understand how games are designed and developed.
The Rise of Mobile Gaming
When it comes to gaming trends in India, Basu says mobile titles dominate.
“Right now, Battlegrounds Mobile India is probably the most played game,” he said. “After that, cricket and football games are very popular, and chess is also seeing renewed interest.”
However, India's gaming market differs from that of developed economies.
“In countries like the US or China, gamers often play high-end games on powerful devices. In India, games need to run even on low-cost smartphones — sometimes devices priced at ₹5,000,” Basu explained.
Globally, the esports industry is currently dominated by countries such as the United States, South Korea, China and Sweden.
AI and the Future of Gaming
The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is also transforming the gaming industry.
“AI has made content creation much easier,” Badalia explained. “If you can visualize something, you can now build it far more quickly. AI is an enabler that allows creators to think beyond limitations.”
The Long-Term Goal
Ultimately, the founders see ISGL as more than just a gaming league. Their benchmark for success is simple but ambitious.
“If this league helps produce even one medal winner at the Asian Games, that would be a huge success for us,” Basu said.
Badalia believes the combination of business expertise and real gaming experience gives ISGL a unique advantage.
“Shantanu has lived the journey of a professional gamer and understands what players need,” he said. “Our goal is to create the right ecosystem so Indian gamers can compete with the best in the world.”
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
